Remember things about people

A list per person you see regularly.

The scenario#

Somebody tells you their mother is ill, or that they are moving in March. You care, and you will have forgotten by the next time you speak.

Set it up once#

1. 1

   Make a list for each person you see often

   Five or six people, not everyone you know.

2. 2

   Import birthdays

   Yearly reminders, once, and never think about it again. See calendars and birthdays.

3. 3

   Set a review date on each list

   Monthly, so they come back before you see the person rather than after. See review a list.

The rhythm#

After you see someone, write two lines on their list. What is going on with them, and anything you said you would do.

Before you see them, open it. That is the whole thing.

Make it yours#

• Mention the list from your day rather than switching to it, and the backlink files it for you. See mentions and backlinks.
• Mark the good bits as memories, so a nice thing someone said comes back on its own. See memory.
• Lock the lists if other people use your device. See lock or hide a list.

A word about this#

Some people find this instrumental, and it can be. The intent matters: this is for remembering what someone told you because you care, not for managing them. If it starts feeling like a CRM, it has gone wrong.

What this looks like after a month#

You ask about the thing they mentioned last time. That is it, and it is worth more than it sounds.

Related#

• Make a list
• Memory